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Strikes and Protests 2007/8 - Doctors and Nurses strikes
No
pay for striking doctors
ZimOnline
January 25, 2007
http://www.zimonline.co.za/Article.aspx?ArticleId=784
HARARE – The
Zimbabwean government has frozen salaries of 50 striking doctors
at Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare in what the doctors say was a
clear case of victimization against the doctors.
Hospital Doctors’
Association President Kuda Nyamutukwa said although most of the
350 doctors had received their new salaries for January, the 50
had not received their pay after the government accused them of
spearheading the strike.
"I can
confirm that at least 50 doctors from Parirenyatwa Hospital have
failed to access their money. We know it’s a way of trying to kill
off the strike.
"The government
is trying to fight fire with fire. But it is not going to work,"
said Nyamutukwa.
Zimbabwean doctors
downed their tools last December demanding that the government increase
their salaries from Z$56 000 to Z$5 million a month.
Although Health
Minister David Parirenyatwa had earlier this month promised to significantly
hike their salaries, the doctors say they were not happy when the
government only increased the salaries by 320 percent.
The lowest paid
medical doctor now earns Z$239 000, an amount the doctors say is
still way below their minimum salary demands.
Nyamutukwa yesterday
said the doctors would press on with the strike until their demands
for more pay and better working conditions were met.
The strike has
had a heavy toll on long-suffering Zimbabweans with reports that
many were dying of diseases that could otherwise be treated if doctors
were at work.
Zimbabwe’s health
delivery system, once lauded as one of the best in Africa, has virtually
collapsed after years of under-funding and mismanagement.
An acute economic
crisis now in its eighth year running has only helped worsen the
situation with the government short of cash to import essential
medicines and equipment, while the country has suffered the worst
brain drain of doctors, nurses and other professionals seeking better
opportunities abroad. - ZimOnline
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